Two arrested in connection with Laois murder four years ago

Two men have been arrested in connection with the murder four years ago of a man in Portarlington, Co Laois, in a gangland-style shooting.

Gerard Eglington (27) was shot and fatally injured in his home at Kilnacourt Woods housing estate on September 24th, 2012. He died later at the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore, Co Offaly.

Gardaí on Monday arrested two men, one aged 34 and the second aged 21, as part of their investigation into Mr Eglington’s murder. They are being questioned at Portlaoise Garda station under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, and can be held for 24 hours.

Mr Eglington had been shot a number of times in the back by a gunman who entered the house by the front door.

Mr Eglington was known to gardaí and had a number of previous convictions. He was thought to have been aligned to one of the factions in the Crumlin/Drimnagh feud, and had been previously questioned over an assault on a suspected gang leader’s brother.

In 2003 he was sentenced to four years in detention for travelling in a stolen car which collided with a Garda patrol and killed two gardaí on the Stillorgan dual-carriageway in April 2002. Garda Anthony Tighe and Garda Michael Padden lost their lives in the crash.